Politics
More than 150,000 people have signed a petition begun by a Black church to boycott Target department and multi-purpose stores, because of their abandonment of their diversity, equity, and inclusion or DEI program. I haven’t been in a Target for years, and I’m definitely not going in there now.
What if bodies of water were guaranteed the kinds of legal rights that would criminalize their destruction? What if communities had the authority to enact laws that prevented pollution, extraction, and waste-dumping?
This would be the case under a new bill introduced into the New York State Assembly by Patrick Burke on Wednesday. If it becomes law, New York Assembly Bill AO5156A, the Great Lakes and State Waters Bill of Rights, would recognize “unalienable and fundamental rights to exist, persist, flourish, naturally evolve, regenerate and be restored” for the Great Lakes and other watersheds and ecosystems throughout New York State.
The United States of America—the 50501 Movement is calling for the immediate impeachment and conviction of President Donald J Trump for the high crime of abuse of power. The 50501 movement will continue to stand up for the Constitution and for American democracy, even when our own government refuses to.
TRUMP’S ABUSE OF POWER
At 12:35 AM ET on March 17th, President Donald Trump made a post on Truth Social “declaring” the reversal and voiding of all pardons made by former President Joe Biden, including four members of the January 6th investigation committee. This action isn’t only an attack on the former president; it is a direct assault on the rule of law in our country and a chilling escalation of political persecution.
Similar to local Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) offices and programs, Columbus’s 21 area commissions could someday be shuttered by those in power, several housing advocates and activists told the Free Press.
While fundamentally different, DEI offices and area commissions share similar missions: They are pro-people by giving one and all a chance to speak out against those who control the strings and pocketbooks.
From the Near East to the Hilltop to the Far South Side to the Far West Side, these 21 area commissions are resident-based and strictly recommending bodies, they have no legal authority. But they have a consequential purpose: To represent their neighborhood(s) when City officials try to force unwanted development into their community. Commissions are also committed to preservation and enhancement of parks, streets and traffic. And during this time of unprecedented growth, logic suggests these commissions are needed more than ever.
On March 3, 2025 the Franklin County Board of Elections heard the residency challenge of Columbus City Council candidate Tiara Ross. The candidate protest was filed by Columbus resident and social media political blogger (The Rooster) D.J. Byrnes.
While under oath, Ms. Ross was asked by Board member Meredith Freedhoff “Is your driver’s license suspended?” Ms. Ross replied “I am unaware of it being suspended.” When further questioned by board members about her license being suspended and also her registration having expired, Ms. Ross stated, “I would have to double check on these records. I don’t know if it was something I missed like a notice I missed in the mail, all of that had to be changed when I moved so it’s certainly something I can follow up with.” (see attached video of hearing).
Mr. Byrnes made a records request to the BMV of Ms. Ross’s license which showed that her license had been suspended (see attached). Further evidenced showed that her registration had also expired. The registration sticker on her vehicles license plate while in the parking lot of the Board of Elections was dated September 2024.
The rightwing operatives who occupy the state house are at it again. This time they are using the perceived “anti-woke” sentiment and growing Sinophobia to grease the wheels on a bill that would stifle union organizing and insert jingoistic propaganda into the curriculum for all college students in the state of Ohio.
Senate Bill 1 was introduced in January by Jerry Cirino, a business owner representing the heavily gerrymandered Senate District 18.
Despite receiving almost 800 submitted testimonies arguing against the bill, it was passed 22-11 during the February 12 session. All nine Democrats and two token Republicans voted “nay.” The bill now moves onto the House, where a previous version died in 2023.
Prior to the vote, all Democratic senators voiced their opposition to the bill. In her statement, Senate Leader Nickie J. Antonio (D-Lakewood) said, “The premise of the bill is that somehow public universities are bastions of liberalism trying to indoctrinate our children.”
The Cleveland Palestine Advocacy Community (CPAC) celebrates Cuyahoga County’s decision to end its bond investments, including $3 million in Israel Bonds, a move that redirects these funds back for the county’s needs. This decision, announced earlier today, marks a step toward responsible financial policy and a rejection of investments that support systemic human rights violations.
“I know $3 million is only a fraction of the county’s total investment in Israel Bonds,” said Dr. Shereen Naser, a CPAC advocate. “But that’s $3 million less funding the military occupation that restricts my family’s freedom and opportunities and sends bombs to Palestinian schools, and $3 million more that can be used to benefit our own communities here in Cuyahoga County.”
What is SBI and which side is on track to win?
The Advance Ohio Higher Education Act (SB1) is a bill that the majority party in the State of Ohio Legislature claims will put education over indoctrination at our colleges and universities. Trumpeted as a reform bill, SB1 would ban diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI), topics it deems controversial, and faculty strikes while requiring reviews of tenured professors along with enacting other anti-education measures. In other words, SB1 is designed instead to ensure indoctrination over education thereby, once again, proving that in MAGA world, every accusation is a confession.
Which side will win in the fight over SB1? Truth or deception? Read on.
Seven protesters were escorted out of the office of Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne on Tuesday. They staged a sit-in action to demand Ronayne decline to renew the County's investment in Israel Bonds on March 1st. The protesters also demanded that the County Executive schedule a meeting with representatives of the Cleveland Palestine Advocacy Community (CPAC) before the reinvestment deadline of March 1st.
Members of the Cleveland Palestine Advocacy community, a coalition of over 10 organizations championing Palestinian rights in Northeast Ohio, have been asking for a meeting with Ronayne for a year. Ronayne has refused to meet with them.
The protesters were seated arm-in-arm for over 30 minutes waiting for County Executive Ronayne who never showed up.
As they were escorted from the room the protesters chanted, "Divest, divest, we will not stop, we will not rest.
People in Columbus Ohio gathered on Saturday, February 8 at the Ohio Statehouse to defend immigrant families and end the war on Black America.